A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 04 eBook

he at length agreed to his proposal, and at the same
time wrote for ten or twelve veterans, then residing
in Coatzacualco, of whom I was one, desiring us to
accompany Rangel on this expedition. The country
of the Zapotecas is composed of high and rugged mountains,
always enveloped in clouds and mists, with such narrow
and bad roads as to be unfit for cavalry, so steep
that they must be climbed up like ladders, each successive
soldier of the file having his head at the heels of
the man immediately before him. The natives of
these mountains are light and active, and have a way
of whistling and shouting, so as to make the hills
resound again, insomuch that it is hardly possible
to know on which side they are coming to attack.
Against such enemies in so strong a country, and with
such a leader, it was impossible for us to effect
any thing. We advanced, however, under heavy rain,
to a scattered village, part of the houses being situated
on a rocky ridge, and the rest in a valley, and well
it was for us that the Indians made no stand, as poor
Rangel whined and moaned the whole way, complaining
of pains in his limbs, and the severity of the weather.
It was at last agreed, as he grew every day worse
and worse, that we could be of no use here, and were
exposing ourselves needlessly to danger, to abandon
this fruitless expedition, and return to our homes.
Pedro de Ircio was among the first who advised this,
and soon set the example, by retiring to his own town
of Villa Rica; but Rangel chose rather to go along
with us to Coatzacualco, to our great dissatisfaction,
as he expected benefit from that warm climate to relieve
him of his pains.

We were hardly returned to Coatzacualco, when Rangel
took it into his head to go upon an expedition against
the Indians of Cimatan and Tatupan, who continued
in rebellion, confiding in the impracticability of
their country, among large rivers and trembling marshes;
being also very formidable warriors, who used very
long bows of great strength. We were all very
averse from this, but as Rangel produced his commission
from Cortes, we were under the necessity to obey,
and accordingly set out on the expedition, with about
100 horse and foot. We soon arrived at a pass
among lakes and marshes, where the Indians had thrown
up a strong circular entrenchment of large trees and
pallisades, having loop-holes to shoot through, and
where they gave us a very warm reception with a flight
of darts and arrows, by which they killed seven horses,
and wounded Rangel and eight of our men. We had
often told him what stout warriors these Indians were,
and he now declared that in future the old conquerors
should command him, and not he us, for he would not
have been now in such jeopardy if he had listened
to our advice. When our wounded men and horses
were dressed, he requested me to go forward to reconnoitre,
on which I took two comrades, and a fierce dog belonging
to Rangel, desiring the infantry to follow close behind,
but that Rangel and the cavalry might keep at a good